How To Tax A Car In The Uk

Transcription

1 Company car tax reform in the UK A Summary 9 October 2009 Carolina Valsecchi (IEEP)

2 Index Policy before and policy after Impacts of reform Unintended impacts of reform Main drivers of reform Obstacles to reform Factors that influence success Is reform transferable? 2

3 Company car tax in the UK Employer: car provision, fuel, insurance, O&M, taxes Employee: private use of the car is a benefit in kind taxed via income tax What is the subsidy? Employee does not pay taxes on the net full annual cost of a car, excl. business use) e.g. optimal rate of income tax 51% in NL (G&O, 2009) 3

4 Pre- reform: Private use of company cars Pre reform 1. Benefit in kind tax graduated on business mileage. km the the tax rate (35%-15%). 2. Fixed tax charge for free fuel benefit independently of actual use 35% of the list price of the car < 2,500 business miles 25% if 2,500 to 17,999 business miles 15% if 18,000 or more business miles 4

5 Post reform - Private use of company cars Post reform (2002) 1. Benefit in kind tax rate graduated on CO2 emissions. 2. Business mileage thresholds were removed. 10% at or <120gCO2/km 15% under <135gCO2/km +5% for each 5gCO2/km 35% for > 235gCO2/km 3. Fuel benefit charge is graduated on CO2 emissions of the company car The subsidy was not removed but reformed - used to greening the car market Perverse incentives to buy heavier cars and drive more have been removed 5

6 Impacts of cc tax reform Purchasing behaviour 60% employee influenced by reform 20 gco2/km average company car emissions Emissions reduction 0,2 0,3 MtCO2/year and up to 0,64 MtCO2/year in million business miles year Impacts of free fuel tax 660,000 employees receiving free fuel (from 1m to 400,000) 100 million private miles in 2005 compared to 1997 Opting out - CC no longer considered essential for business - Cash (65% of opt out) - Other non cash benefits Data source: HMRC (2006) 6

7 Unintended impacts of reform Number of company cars from 1.6 million to 1.4 million Leakage to other more tax favourable systems (mileage allowance payments, private vans) on average + 5 gco2/km Switch from petrol to diesel (from 33% in 2002 to 60% in 2005) trade off CO2 with local air quality Revenue loss: 120 million net revenue loss ( tax rate for environmentally friendly cars, company cars, fuel use, revenues from income tax from cash option) Data source: HMRC (2006) and (2007) Flat rate mileage allowances (in 2002) 0.40 ( 0.58) per mile up to 10,000 and 0.25 ( 0.36) per mile above 10,000 miles needs to mirror 7 cc scheme

8 Main drivers of reform Reform was strongly resisted until a clear evidence base was established by new research (characterising company cars and travel data). Progressive elements in government and industry were prepared to help and champion change. NGOs, businesses and government cooperation Introduction of the car labelling Directive facilitated the introduction of CO2 grades, as a lever to affect car choice 8

9 Obstacles to reform Vested interests in status quo. Inertia Trade offs with social concerns - rural areas, commutes. 9

10 Factors to enhance/ hinder success CC taxes do not operate in isolation policy should be integrated and aligned benefit in kind CO2 based + Free fuel benefit taxes CO2 based + VED ownership taxes CO2 based. use of private cars for business schemes + mileage allowance schemes + Tax treatment of parking expenditure + Tax treatment of relocation benefits + Road pricing / Congestion charge reimbursement Need to periodically re-examine goals (e.g. 4 years) Announce reform in good advance 10

11 Is reform transferable to Germany? Yes (depending on the exact design of company car taxation system) The benefit in kind flat rate could be CO2 graduated, higher level bands could be set up The benefits on CO2 from this reform will not bring much impact if commuter subsidies are kept in place 11

12 Further references Gutierrez-i-Puigarnau E. and van Ommeren J. (2009), Welfare effects of distortionary frige benefits taxation: the case of employer provided cars, Tinbergen Institute Discussion Paper, 20 March 2009 ref. G&O (2009) here HMRC (2006), Report on the evaluation of the company car tax reform: stage 2 HMRC (2007), report on interaction between company cars, employee car ownership scheme cars and mileage allowance payments IEEP et al. (2006), Improving the knowledge basis of car purchase decision mechanisms and environmental impact of company car taxation 12

13 Thank you! IEEP is an independent not for profit institute dedicated to advancing an environmentally sustainable Europe through policy analysis, development and dissemination. 13

14 Integrated assessment results Policy reform: Subsidy removal: US model - additional wage that can be used to lease a car if needed; employee pays taxes on full cost; de-taxed reimbursement for use for business purposes. Negative impacts Need to carefully avoid leakage to other systems In the UK a system of statutory mileage allowances still exists, with the level currently set at 0.40 ( 0.58) per mile up to 10,000 and 0.25 ( 0.36) per mile above 10,000 miles (ABRL, 2006). 14

15 Provision of company car as a benefit in kind to employees Is the objective still valid? Promote productivity / de-tax business. 90% company cars are not or hardly used for business purposes (research in the NL, G&O, 2009). Professionals prefer cash or relocation benefits. Cost-effectiveness: Targeted policies for increased productivity are more effective. Removal would increase cost-effectiveness of other instruments e.g. road pricing. Incidental impacts: The most inequitable fringe benefit (COWI, 2004) high income, men. Increase commuting distances, larger cars, more cars per household. Substantial taxes foregone (in EU 18 billion EUR / year in deadweight lossess, G&O, 2009). 15